National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
has decided to constitute a high powered conciliatory committee, consisting of
its senior functionaries to resolve various cases relating to construction of
national highways in recent past, according to its Chairman, Mr. Y S Malik.
Inaugurating a Conference on Arbitration
norms for Infrastructure Sector under aegis of PHD Chamber of Commerce and
Industry here today, Mr. Malik also announced that this committee would consist
of three Chief General Managers of NHAI with a mandate to settle such disputes
following approval from Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs and is likely to take a shape in next one month
or so.
“With the three-member committee coming into
existence, the aggrieved contractors and stakeholders can approach the
committee and seek solutions of their disputes and conflicts in national
highways projects which involve investment worth thousands of crores”, informed
Mr. Malik.
According to him, “in the recent past, 436
arbitral awards have been pronounced in BOT project of NHAI. 151 arbitral cases have been resolved whereas
199 are pending at various stages. Of
151 cases that have been resolved include 25 through Supreme Court, 16 High
Courts, 39 via single bench of High Court and 4 were settled at the level of
District Courts whereas in 67 cases, NHAI accepted arbitral awards”.
DG, Directorate General of Married
Accommodation Project (DGMAP), Maj. Gen. Sanjeev Jain, who also participated on
the occasion emphasized that the current methodologies of award of contracts
for infrastructure projects particularly, roads, highways and even housing
carried host of loopholes which need to be plugged as these encourage
inefficiencies in implementation of such projects.
In his welcome remarks, Sr. Vice President,
PHD Chamber, Mr. Anil Khaitan demanded faster execution of highways projects as
it is through roads and national highways, India is integrated for higher
economic activities and still higher economic growth.
Among others who participated on the occasion
comprised Chairman-Society of Construction Law, India & Director-India,
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK, Mr. Ratan K Singh; Chairman-Roads,
Ports & Other Infrastructure Committee, PHD Chamber, Mr. Ashish Mohan Wig
and its Director, Dr. Ranjeet Mehta.
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